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Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Rescue of Recombinant Newcastle Disease Virus from cDNA
Published on: October 11, 2013
The Exciting Potential and Remaining Uncertainties of Genetic Rescue
Donovan A Bell1, Zachary L Robinson1, W Chris Funk2
1Wildlife Biology Program, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA.
Abstract:
Restoring gene flow into small, isolated populations can alleviate genetic load and decrease extinction risk (i.e., genetic rescue), yet gene flow is rarely augmented as a conservation strategy. Due to this discrepancy between opportunity and action, a recent call was made for widespread genetic rescue attempts. However, several aspects of augmenting gene flow are poorly understood, including the magnitude and duration of beneficial effects and when deleterious effects are likely to occur. We discuss the remaining uncertainties of genetic rescue in order to promote and direct future research and to hasten progress toward implementing this potentially powerful conservation strategy on a broader scale.
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